() was discovered to disturb the connection between and the plasma membrane by induction of the scaffold protein , as scientists from the Stowers Institute for Medical Research (USA) report. is an inflammatory cytokine, found in the cystic fluid of humans suffering from autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). The disease is caused by heterozygous mutations of the polycystin-1 (PKD1) or genes ().

The scientists treated murine organ cultures of embryonic kidneys with . The treatment caused cyst formation, even more severely in +/- kidneys. stimulated cyst formation could also be observed in vivo in +/- mice. If treated with the inhibitor etanercept, mice did not form any cysts.

The study points at a connection between signalling, polycystins and the formation of cysts. The activation of this presumed pathway might reduce the production of below a critical threshold and thus lead to the manifestation of ADPKD.